Companies collapse, even whole industries. It’s not something that happens overnight, but it does happen.

Who would have thought in 1980 that, of the 350 000 proud German coal miners back then, only 28 000 would be left today? That Blaupunkt or Grundig would merely represent the demise of German consumer electronics?

At the end of July, car giant Daimler announced incredible numbers: a profit of 2.5 billion euros (+ 2%) – with 822 500 euros between April and June alone. However, it is entirely possible that something similar to the downfall of other industries will also happen to the car industry with its almost 800 000 employees. One day, we might look back to the year 2017 and say:

2017 indeed represents an aggravated, defining turn towards e-mobility and electric cars. France and Great Britain are getting rid of cars with diesel or gas engines. By 2030 or 2040, their time will be over.

What are the German bosses doing wrong?

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► The German car industry was late taking the turn towards electric cars seriously – maybe too late. Tesla and Renault are the top sellers in Germany. The biggest manufacturer internationally, BYD, is from China. How about batteries made in Germany that would be crucial for electric cars? “That would be desirable,” Chancellor Angela Merkel recently remarked. Unfortunately, nothing is happening.

Volkswagen-CEO Matthias MüllerFoto: Hans-Bernhard Huber/laif

► Now, of all times, accusations of having formed cartels – which are not yet proven – are ruining the industry’s image. But its poster executives mostly remain silent. The result is that the public wouldn’t put anything past them.

The industry also struggles with the consequences of the diesel trickery and emissions fraud. Hundreds of millions of euros are not spent on developing tomorrow’s engines, but on repairing old diesel models that were sold as “clean” to trustful consumers. VW already paid 20 billion euros in fines and settlements. Investigations into, among others, Daimler are still being conducted. This is how the past eats up the future.

Mercedes-Boss Dieter ZetscheFoto: Markus Hintzen/laif

► On top of that, now the head of BMW gives free reign to his anger and halts a reasonable collaboration with Daimler for developing electric cars – since the Stuttgart company allegedly acted unfairly. In a similarly childish way, Uwe Hück, chairman of the Porsche works council, demands the firing of the directorate of sister company, Audi. Given these circumstances, who is supposed to take these bosses seriously?

Matthias Wissmann, president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)Foto: dpa

► Finally, because of all this, the industry is also losing its political support. For decades, all governments tried to avert anything that might harm the German car industry. Even the chancellor campaigned for the car companies in EU negotiations, for instance with respect to emission standards and consumption norms.

BMW-CEO Harald KrügerFoto: Dirk Bruniecki/laif

So what now?

Like beaten dogs, the company directors and the President of the German Automobile Industry Association, Matthias Wissmann, will crawl to the government’s “diesel summit” on Wednesday. They will have to agree to more than the free retrofitting of millions of diesel cars.

However, Germany without a car industry that can compete in the global market? Inconceivable. In principle …